Distributed wireless online access system

ABSTRACT

A method for providing wireless online access to one or more users comprises providing online access to the users of corresponding mobile secondary wireless transceivers by data packet transmission via corresponding wireless communications links established, within a mobile online access signal spaces within the moving vehicle by a primary subscriber, between the mobile secondary wireless transceivers and one or more mobile primary wireless transceivers, wherein one or more of the mobile primary wireless transceivers are linked to the Internet through one or more portal transceivers, wherein each portal transceivers includes a communications link to the Internet for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto and a wireless communications links to one or more of the primary wireless transceivers for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional applicationSer. No. 13/405,363 filed Feb. 27, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S.non-provisional application Ser. No. 12/693,423 filed Jan. 25, 2010 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,126,429), which is a continuation of U.S.non-provisional application Ser. No. 11/298,558 filed Dec. 9, 2005 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,657,249), which is a continuation of U.S.non-provisional application Ser. No. 10/393,584 filed Mar. 21, 2003 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,975,851), which is a continuation of U.S.non-provisional application Ser. No. 09/715,705 filed Nov. 17, 2000 (nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,553,218). Each of said patents and applications ishereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

The field of the present invention relates to wirelesstelecommunications. In particular, apparatus, systems, and methods aredescribed herein for providing distributed wireless online access, alongwith business methods for deploying such a system.

With the recent explosive growth of the Internet and accompanying demandfor high-speed online access, the so-called “last-mile problem” hasassumed great importance in the telecommunications industry. The“last-mile” problem refers to the technical and economic difficultiesassociated with bringing high-speed online access and/or datatransmission to each and every business, residence, and other location.High-speed data transmission is already provided on the Internetbackbone, and many large entities (corporations, telecommunicationscompanies, universities, research institutions, computing facilities,online service providers, electronic commerce providers, and so on) havedirect connections or links to the Internet backbone, thereby enjoyingdata transmission rates of up to 100 Mb/s. Most residences and smallerbusinesses rely on direct connections using modems and standardtelephone lines for online access, typically at maximum datatransmission rates of 56 kb/s. There has been some headway made inproviding more widely deployed and higher speed online access, mainlythrough television cable systems and digital subscriber lines (DSL's)provided by phone companies, but high-speed online access is still quitelimited, and may never be deployed in some areas. The potentialinfrastructure development required to widely deploy high-speed onlineaccess may prove to be enormous, and may be particularly problematic inestablished neighborhoods.

Wireless communications technology may provide alternative solutions tothe “last mile problem”. Relatively low-cost devices are available forwirelessly linking devices, and if these were widely deployed a wirelessnetwork could be formed breaching the gap between the Internet backboneand a multitude of individual local users. This could be accomplishedwithout significant infrastructure development or disruption of existingsystems or structures. Wireless network connections also offer thepossibility of mobile connections to the network, or even the networkitself being mobile.

It is therefore desirable to provide apparatus and methods for widelydeploying/providing high-speed wireless online access that does notentail substantial infrastructure development and/or investment. It istherefore desirable to provide apparatus and methods for widelydeploying/providing high-speed wireless online access that may bereadily implemented in existing neighborhoods without substantialdisruption of existing structures, facilities, and/or services. It istherefore desirable to provide apparatus and methods for widelydeploying/providing high-speed wireless online access that may bereadily expanded into un-served geographic areas. It is thereforedesirable to provide apparatus and methods for deploying/providinghigh-speed wireless online access that is affordable for users and thatmay generate substantial revenue streams with minimal initialinvestment. It is therefore desirable to provide apparatus and methodsfor deploying/providing high-speed wireless online access having mobilenetwork elements and/or links, thereby enabling implementation of amobile network.

SUMMARY

Certain aspects of the present invention may overcome one or moreaforementioned drawbacks of the previous art and/or advance thestate-of-the-art of wireless online access systems and methods, and inaddition may meet one or more of the following objects:

-   -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        for providing widely-deployed high-speed online access;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        for providing widely-deployed high-speed Internet access;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        for providing widely-deployed high-speed wireless        communications;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        for providing widely-deployed high-speed wireless online access;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        for providing widely-deployed high-speed wireless Internet        access;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein a plurality of primary wireless units form a primary        wireless network;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein a plurality of secondary wireless units are wirelessly        linked to the primary wireless network via one or more of the        primary wireless units;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein one or more of the wireless units may be linked to an        external communications system (such as the Internet), thereby        enabling connection of the primary wireless network to the        external communications system;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein one or more of the wireless units may be directly linked        (i.e., wired) to an external communications system (such as the        Internet), thereby enabling connection of the primary wireless        network to the external communications system;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein the wireless units comprising the system may include        unlicensed wireless transmitters;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein data packets may be transmitted from one wireless unit        of the wireless network to another wireless unit thereof via        multiple network paths through the wireless network;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein data packet transmission through the wireless network        may be routed and/or re-routed based on the status of the        wireless network, the status of wireless units thereof, and the        speed of data packet transmission therethrough;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein patterns of geographic coverage and/or data packet        transmission may be used to determine placement of additional        primary wireless units for expanding the primary wireless        network;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein online access subscribers having primary or secondary        wireless units may be charged an access fee amount for access to        and/or use of the primary wireless network;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein the access fee amount for primary and/or secondary users        may be calculated based on volume of received and/or transmitted        data packets;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein access provider revenue may be paid to a primary        subscriber based on the volume of received and re-transmitted        data packets routed through the respective primary wireless        unit;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein access provider revenue may be paid to primary        subscribers based on the number of secondary wireless units        linked to the respective primary wireless unit;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein access provider revenue may be paid to primary        subscribers based on the number of other subscribers recruited        by the primary subscriber;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein some of the wireless units may be mobile;    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein some of the wireless units may be mounted on motor        vehicles; and    -   To provide distributed wireless online access system and methods        wherein multiple wireless units mounted on multiple motor        vehicle traveling on a portion of a length of roadway may form a        transient wireless communications network.

One or more of the foregoing objects may be achieved in the presentinvention by a distributed wireless online access system comprising aplurality of primary wireless units forming primary wirelesscommunications network, and a plurality of secondary wireless units.Each primary wireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, awireless receiver, and a programmed processor for routing data packetsreceived by the primary wireless unit for re-transmission to anotherprimary wireless unit or to a secondary wireless unit. Each secondarywireless unit may comprise a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver,and a programmed processor for processing received data packets and forgenerating transmitted data packets. A portal unit may provide aconnection or link between the primary wireless network and an externalcommunications system (such as the Internet), thereby providing accessto the external communications network to all primary and secondarywireless units. Data packets may be generated by an originatingsecondary wireless unit, transmitted to a primary wireless unit, routedand re-transmitted through a succession of other primary wireless units,and ultimately received by a destination unit (either a destinationsecondary wireless unit or a portal unit/external communicationssystem). A data packet may follow one of several alternative networkpaths through the primary network connecting the originating point andthe destination point, thereby enabling the system to route data packetsaround unavailable primary units, slower portions of the primarynetwork, and so on.

A preferred embodiment for a primary or a secondary receiver is apersonal computer (desktop or portable) connected to a wirelesstransmitter and a wireless receiver. The transmitter and receiver maycomprise separate units, or may be incorporated into a single unit,which may in turn be incorporated into the computer or may comprise aseparate unit(s) connected thereto. It should be noted that a givencomputer/transmitter/receiver combination may function as both a primarywireless unit and as a secondary wireless unit. The primary andsecondary wireless units may operate as licensed or as unlicensedwireless devices under any applicable government regulations in force atthe location of the unit, or the plurality of primary and secondaryunits may be a combination of licensed and unlicensed wireless units.Unlicensed wireless transmitters/receivers currently availablecommercially are relatively inexpensive and typically operate at about 4to 6 megabits/second (Mb/s) up to about 11 Mb/s, about two orders ofmagnitude faster than typically modem/phone line computer network access(currently 56 kb/s or less).

This combination of relatively inexpensive hardware, high-speed datatransmission, and lack of licensing requirements together enablepotentially powerful business methods for deploying, maintaining, andexpanding a commercial high-speed communications system for a group ofsubscribers, and generating revenue therefrom for a wireless onlineaccess provider. Briefly, the online access provider establishes aportal unit with a link (typically a high-speed wired link) to theInternet (or other external communications system) and deploys primarywireless units at the geographic locations (businesses, residences, orother locations) of a group of primary subscribers. The primary wirelessunits are preferably deployed in a sufficiently dense pattern over agiven geographic area that all primary wireless units are withintransmission range of at least one other primary unit, preferably morethan one. At least one unit must be within transmission range of theportal unit, thereby enabling data packet transmission between theInternet and any primary wireless unit of the primary wireless network.Primary subscribers may be specifically recruited based on geographiclocation, or may be self-selected. The wireless transmitters, wirelessreceivers, and/or computers for the primary wireless units may bepurchased by the subscriber, supplied by the provider (for a fee or freeof charge), or some combination thereof. A subscriber-supplied computerand provider-supplied wireless transmitter/receiver might be a commonscenario. A primary subscriber may be charged an access fee toparticipate in the primary wireless network and receive high-speedaccess to the Internet through the primary wireless network, withhis/her primary wireless unit (i.e., computer/transmitter/receiver) alsofunctioning as a secondary wireless unit.

Secondary wireless units of the system may be regarded as “clients”connected to the primary wireless network for providing user access tothe primary wireless network and the Internet (through the portal unit).Secondary subscribers may be solicited by the provider, and charged anaccess fee for the high-speed Internet access provided by the wirelesslinkage of their secondary wireless units to the primary wirelessnetwork. The secondary wireless unit may be user-supplied,provider-supplied, or a combination (as described above). A secondarywireless unit may be deployed in any location (business, residence, orother) within transmission range of at least one primary wireless unit.

Expansion of the system may be driven by financial incentives to thesubscribers. A primary subscriber may receive rebates, access feereductions, and/or payments based on the number of secondary wirelessunits within transmission range of his/her primary wireless unit, oralternatively based on the volume of in-transit data packets receivedand re-transmitted (i.e., amount of data traffic handled) by his/herprimary wireless unit. Incentives may therefore be provided for drivingself-organized/self-assembled expansion of the distributed high-speedwireless network, particularly at the edges of areas covered by theprimary wireless network. As new primary subscribers are recruited (orsecondary subscribers decide to finance their high-speed Internet accessby becoming a primary subscriber), the area covered by the wirelessnetwork may expand and/or becomes more redundantly covered (enhancingreliability).

One or more of the wireless units may be mobile wireless units. A mobilesecondary wireless unit essentially allows a secondary subscriber to“roam” among the individual wireless coverage areas of multiple primaryunits while maintaining a link to the primary wireless network. One ormore mobile primary units may enable formation of a transient, mobileprimary wireless network having a dynamically varying network topologyand coverage area. Installing primary units on sufficiently largefraction of the vehicles on a portion of a roadway may effectivelytransform an interstate highway into a long-haul, high-speed onlineaccess “backbone” for transmitting data packets over long distances, oreffectively transform congested commuter routes into a metro-scalehigh-speed online access system serving a city and its surroundingsuburbs.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention may becomeapparent upon referring to the preferred and alternative embodiments ofthe present invention as illustrated in the drawings and described inthe following written description and/or claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged schematic diagram of a portion of a primarywireless network and a group of secondary wireless units.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of the present written description and/or claims, the term“online access” shall denote an activity which is performed by sendingand/or receiving text, data, graphics, images, commands, requests,queries, and so forth over a communications network through an interfacedevice. This will preferably mean using a computer connected to theInternet, but may also include other interface devices (including butnot limited to: computers, workstations, terminals, televisions,wireless devices, hand-held or “palm-top” devices, electronicorganizers, telephones, wireless telephones, messaging units, and thelike; combinations thereof; and/or functional equivalents thereof) andother networks (Internet, Internet 2, next-generation Internet, othersuccessors to the Internet, World-Wide Web, telephone networks, local-or wide-area networks, wireless networks, optical networks,satellite-based networks, and the like; combinations thereof; and/orfunctional equivalents thereof). The connection or link between theinterface device and the communications network may be direct (i.e.,hard-wired, or wired) or indirect (i.e., wireless, or through anintervening network). It is this latter scenario that is the primarysubject matter of the present invention.

For purposes of the present written description and/or claims, “wirelesstransmitter” and “wireless receiver” shall generally denote deviceswhich may send and receive, respectively, signals that propagate throughfree space in the form of electro-magnetic radiation. Theelectro-magnetic radiation is typically in the RF or microwave region,although other portions of the electro-magnetic spectrum may be utilizedas well. For purposes of the present written description and/or claims,a “wireless connection” or a “wireless link” is a connection or linkutilizing wireless transmitters and receivers. For purposes of thepresent written description and/or claims, a “hard-wired”, “wired”, or“direct” connection or link shall denote a connection or link in which asignal is propagated along a transmission device of some sort, forexample electronic signals propagating along a wire or cable, or anoptical signal propagating along an optical fiber.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a primary wireless network accordingto the present invention, comprising a plurality of primary wirelessunits 110. Each wireless unit 110 is shown at the center of a circle 120representing the maximum transmission range of each primary wirelessunit 110. Primary wireless units 110 are preferably deployedgeographically so that each primary wireless unit 110 is within themaximum wireless transmission range of at least one other primarywireless unit 110, thereby forming primary wireless links represented bydashed lines 130 in FIG. 1. Primary wireless units 110 and lines 130form the nodes and links, respectively, of a primary wireless network.The primary wireless network may be provided with one or more portalunits 140, which in turn provide external links 150 between the primarywireless network and an external communications system (external links150 represented by heavy arrows of FIG. 1; external communicationssystem not shown). Each primary wireless unit 110 therefore has accessto the external communications system through the primary wirelessnetwork, a portal unit 140, and a link 150.

Each primary wireless unit preferably comprises: a wireless receiver forreceiving a data packet transmitted from at least one other of theplurality of primary wireless units; a wireless transmitter fortransmitting a data packet to at least one other of the plurality ofprimary wireless units; and a processing unit programmed for routing areceived in-transit data packet for transmission to another of theplurality of primary wireless units. Each data packet preferablyincludes routing information, and this routing information may beprocessed by the primary wireless unit to determine which other primarywireless unit is the next destination for the data packet. Each primarywireless unit at a node of the primary wireless network thereforefunctions as a router for the primary wireless network. The routing ispreferably implemented dynamically, meaning that which of multipleavailable routes may be chosen may be based on information that may bechanging with time, such as primary unit availability or primary unittransient reception/transmission speed. In a typical implementation ofthe present invention, a primary wireless unit may comprise a personalcomputer (desktop or portable) with wireless transmitter and receiverhardware connected thereto. The transmitter and receiver may be separateunits or integrated as a single unit, and whether separate from orintegrated with one another may be separate from and connected to thecomputer or may be integrated into the computer. Other functionallyequivalent embodiments of a primary wireless unittransmitter/receiver/processor combination may be employed.

Each portal unit may preferably comprise a link to the externalcommunications system for transmitting data packets to the externalcommunications system and for receiving data packets transmitted fromthe external communications system, a wireless transmitter fortransmitting data packets to a primary wireless unit of the primarywireless network, and a wireless receiver for receiving data packetstransmitted from a primary wireless unit of the primary wirelessnetwork. Any suitable link to the external communications system may beemployed, and the link may typically comprise a wired, high-speed linkor connection to the external communications system. In a commonimplementation of the present invention, the external communicationssystem comprises the Internet, and the link to the externalcommunications comprises a direct (i.e., wired) high-speed connection tothe Internet backbone, thereby enabling distributed, high-speed wirelessonline access to the Internet through any of the primary wireless unitsof the primary wireless network. In a typical implementation of thepresent invention, the portal unit may comprise a server computer withconnected wireless transmitter and receiver (as separate connected unitsor integrated with the server) and high-speed network interface hardwarefor connecting directly to the Internet backbone. Other functionallyequivalent embodiments of a portal unittransmitter/receiver/processor/network interface combination may beemployed. A single transmitter/receiver/processor combination may serveas both a portal unit and a primary wireless unit.

The plurality of primary wireless units forming the primary wirelessnetwork may preferably be sufficiently densely distributedgeographically (relative to the maximum transmission range) that most ofthe primary wireless units are linked to at least two other primarywireless units. In this way the resulting primary wireless network mayprovide multiple network paths connecting pairs of primary wirelessunits within the network. This redundancy enhances the overallreliability of the primary wireless network in the event that nodesand/or links in the network become non-functional. In this event datapacket traffic may be re-routed through the network around thedisruption. FIG. 2 shows a fully operation primary wireless networkcomprising primary wireless units 110 and 112 (circles), wirelessnetwork links 130 (dashed lines) and 132 (solid lines), portal units 140(diamonds), and external (Internet) links 150 (heavy arrows). A datapacket may be transmitted from a particular primary wireless unit 112,for example, through selected network links 132 (solid lines) to theInternet through one of the portal units 140 and Internet links 150.FIG. 3 show how the data packet might be re-routed in the event that oneof the other primary wireless units 110′ should become non-operational(hardware and/or software malfunction, power outage, unplugged, turnedoff, and so forth). A different set of selected links 132 may beutilized to transmit the data packet through the primary wirelessnetwork to the Internet through one of the portals 140 and link 150. InFIG. 4, several of the primary wireless network links 130′ are shown asunavailable, perhaps due to high data packet traffic and/or slowtransmission speed, for example. A data packet from primary wirelessunit 112 may again be re-routed through a different set of selectedwireless links 132 of the primary wireless network to a portal 140 andthence to the Internet. FIG. 5 illustrates a scenario in which one ofthe portal units 140′ (or equivalently, its corresponding external link)has become non-functional (hardware and/or software malfunction, poweroutage, unplugged, turned off, and so forth). Once again, a data packetfrom a primary wireless unit 112 may be re-routed through a differentset of selected wireless links 132 to another portal 140 and link 150,and thence to the Internet. Each of FIGS. 2 through 5 would equivalentlyapply to a data packet moving from the Internet to primary wireless unit112. Programming techniques enabling such dynamic re-routing of datapackets through a network are well-known and widely used to control theflow of data packets throughout the Internet itself. Such extantprogramming/routing techniques and protocols may be readily adapted foruse in the present invention, or new techniques and protocols may bedeveloped and implemented without departing from inventive conceptsdisclosed and/or claimed herein. The programmed processor of eachprimary wireless unit 110 may perform the routing function required toproperly route a data packet from its origin through the primarywireless network to its destination, based on routing information in thedata packet itself, based on commands from an administration unit of thedistributed wireless online access system (described furtherhereinbelow), and/or based on other relevant information.

The distributed wireless online access system may further comprise anadministration unit for performing the routing and/or re-routing of datapacket transmission through the primary wireless network as describedhereinabove. The administration unit may comprise: a wirelesstransmitter for transmitting queries and/or commands to primary wirelessunits; a wireless receiver for receiving wireless unit status data,wireless network status data, data packet transmission data, other queryacknowledgements, and/or command acknowledgements from wireless units; aprogrammed processor for generating commands and/or queries andprocessing wireless unit status data, wireless network status data, datapacket transmission data, other query acknowledgements, and/or commandacknowledgements from wireless units. In a typical implementation of thepresent invention, the administration unit may comprise a computer withconnected wireless transmitter and receiver (as separate connected unitsor integrated with the server). Other functionally equivalentembodiments of a portal unit transmitter/receiver/processor combinationmay be employed. A single transmitter/receiver/processor combination mayserve as both an administration unit and a primary wireless unit, asboth an administration unit and a portal unit, or as all three (primary,portal, and administration). Routing information may be generated by theadministration unit based on wireless unit/network status and theorigin/destination of a data packet for selecting a particular networkpath for a data packet. Alternatively, such routing information may begenerated locally by each primary wireless unit as the data packet makesits way through the primary wireless network. In this case, theplurality of primary wireless units collectively may function as anadministration unit.

Access to the primary wireless network, and hence to the Internet (i.e.,an external communications system) is preferably provided through aplurality of secondary wireless units, each comprising: a wirelessreceiver for receiving a data packet transmitted from a primary wirelessunit; a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet to a primarywireless unit; and a programmed processing unit for generated a datapacket to be transmitted and for processing a received data packet. Someor all of the primary wireless units may comprise transmitters/receiversfor transmitting/receiving data packets to/from secondary units. Thesetransmitters/receivers will typically be the same transmitters/receiversemployed for implementing the primary wireless network as describedhereinabove, although it may be possible and/or desirable to employseparate transmitters/receivers for wireless links between a givenprimary wireless unit and i) another primary wireless unit and ii) asecondary wireless unit. A user desiring online access to the primarywireless network and hence the Internet may do so by utilizing asecondary wireless unit, typically using a user interface. A graphicaluser interface (GUI) may be particularly well-suited for facilitatinguser online access through the secondary wireless unit. In a typicalimplementation of the present invention, a secondary wireless unit maycomprise a personal computer (desktop or portable) with wirelesstransmitter and receiver hardware connected thereto. The transmitter andreceiver may be separate units or integrated as a single unit, andwhether separate from or integrated with one another may be separatefrom and connected to the computer or may be integrated into thecomputer. Other functionally equivalent embodiments of a primarywireless unit transmitter/receiver/processor combination may beemployed. It should be noted that the primary differences between theprimary wireless units and the secondary wireless units are: 1) theprimary wireless units require routing/re-transmission functionality inorder to handle in-transit data packets and enable transmission of datapackets through the primary wireless network; while 2) the secondarywireless units are typically origination and/or destination points fordata packets, and as such require no routing/re-transmissionfunctionality, but rather require data packet generation andprocessing/interpretation capabilities, along with user-interfacefunctionality. However, a single transmitter/receiver/processorcombination may function as both a primary wireless unit and a secondarywireless unit.

Each secondary wireless unit is located geographically within a maximumwireless transmission range of at least one primary wireless unit,thereby enabling wireless online access to the Internet from thesecondary wireless unit via the primary wireless network. FIG. 6 is anenlarged schematic diagram of a portion of a distributed wireless onlineaccess system according to the present invention. Several primarywireless units 110 (solid circles) are shown, surrounded by circles 120(light dotted) indicating a maximum wireless transmission range andlinked by wireless links 130 (solid lines) of the primary wirelessnetwork. Secondary wireless units 160 (solid squares) within circles 120may be linked to a primary wireless unit 110 by wireless links 170(dashed line). This of course assumes that the primary wireless unitalso lies within the wireless transmission range of secondary wirelessunit; this is generally but not necessarily always the case. It ispreferable for each secondary wireless unit 160 to lie within more thanone circle 120 (i.e., within the maximum transmission range of more thanone primary wireless unit), thereby providing more than one link 170 tothe primary wireless network and thence to the Internet. All of thelinked secondary units 160 (solid squares) may be wirelessly linked tothe primary network through one or more links 170 (dashed lines),although not all secondary wireless units 160 are thus labeled in theFigure, not all links 170 are shown, and not all links 170 that areshown are thus labeled. The labels and links not shown have been omittedfor clarity of the Figure.

In addition to previously described functions, the administration unitmay enable expansion of the distributed wireless online access system tocover new geographic areas with little or no extant wireless onlineaccess. The administration unit may also enable deployment of additionalresources for enhancing the capacity and reliability of the wirelessonline access system. As shown in FIG. 6, there are locations 164(dashed squares) that are not provided with wireless online access. Theprocessing capabilities of the administration unit may be used todetermine suitable, desirable, or optimal geographic locations for newprimary wireless units 114 (dashed circles) linked to the primarywireless network through wireless links 134 (dotted lines) and eachhaving a maximum wireless transmission range indicated by a circle 124(heavy dotted). In this way a group of new locations 164, previouslywithout wireless online access, are now within transmission range of aprimary wireless unit 114 and may be wirelessly linked thereto by a newwireless link 174 (dashed lines), thereby providing location 164 withwireless online access according to the present invention, once asecondary wireless unit is installed and activated. Similarly, theadministration unit may analyze flow patterns and flow volumes of datapackets flowing through the primary wireless network, thereby revealinglocalized portions thereof where data packet volume is larger thanaverage, thereby potentially slowing down the primary wireless networkin that area. A desirable or optimal location for an additional primarywireless unit may be deployed in these heavy-data-packet-traffic areasand speed up the overall performance of the wireless online accesssystem.

From a commercial standpoint, it is particularly attractive to implementa wireless online access system according to the present invention usingwireless transmitters and receivers that may be operated as anunlicensed wireless device in legal compliance with any applicablegovernment regulations in force at the location of the wireless unit. Byutilizing transmitters and receivers (for both primary and secondarywireless units) in the United States that fall within regulations forunlicensed use as set forth by the FCC in Part 15 of Title 47 of theCode of Federal Regulations, for example, a provider of wireless onlineaccess may avoid many costly and time consuming regulatory hurdlesand/or permit procedures. One particular class of such transmitters andreceivers are specified in the group of IEEE 802.11 standards and may beused within various ranges of wireless carrier frequencies, including(but not limited to) the spectral regions around 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz.Both Part 15 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the IEEE802.11 standards are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully setforth herein. Successor U.S. regulations, applicable present and/orfuture foreign regulation, and/or other current and/or future standardsmay be equivalently complied with in order to implement an unlicenseddistributed wireless online access system without departing frominventive concepts disclosed and/or claimed herein.

As an example, a non-directional transmitter having a maximumtransmission range in the 150-200 meter range may fall within FCCregulations for unlicensed transmitters, and could be used to implementa primary network having a primary wireless unit roughly every cityblock or so. Non-directional wireless transmission may be preferred formost primary and secondary wireless units of a wireless online accesssystem as described herein. FCC regulations may permit greatertransmission ranges for unlicensed directional transmitters, perhaps aslong as several kilometers. FIG. 7 illustrates use of a pair ofdirectional transmitter/receivers 116 and a wireless link 136therebetween for connecting geographically separated portions of aprimary wireless network according to the present invention. In this waygeographically more distant portions of the primary wireless network maynevertheless be provided with wireless access to portal units 140, links150, and the Internet (or other external communications system). Withoutdeparting from inventive concepts disclosed and/or claimed herein, adistributed wireless online access system may be implemented with anysuitable transmitters/receivers (licensed, unlicensed, or a combinationthereof) without departing from inventive concepts disclosed and/orclaimed herein. In particular, the configuration of FIG. 7 could beimplemented with unlicensed wireless units 110 and licensed units 116.Further variations of the present invention may be implemented using acombination of wireless and wired network links. The system of FIG. 7,for example, could be implemented with wireless links 130, while link136 may be a wired link. Other combinations may also fall within thescope of the present invention.

The wireless nature of the data packet transmission and reception, andthe distributed nature of the hardware (computers, transmitters, andreceivers) means that there are substantially no infrastructuredevelopment requirements to implement a distributed wireless onlineaccess system according to the present invention. The link between theportal unit and the Internet backbone may be established readily andeconomically by the common practice of “co-locating” the portal unitwith an established commercial Internet service provider (ISP). Acomputer thus co-located and including a wireless transmitter andreceiver may serve as a portal unit, and one or more primary wirelessunits must then be located within the maximum transmission range of theportal unit transmitter and receiver (direction or non-directional). Allprimary and secondary wireless units may comprise relatively small (afew hundred cubic centimeters) transmitter and receiver units connectedto personal computers (many of the computers which would already be inplace). No cable or wire needs to be laid, and no large antennas orhigh-power broadcast equipment needs to be acquired, set up, licensed,and/or located. A distributed wireless online access system according tothe present invention may be deployed and operated in a completelyunobtrusive manner in any geographic area having a sufficiently densedistribution of structures (i.e., residences and/or businesses) having asufficiently dense distribution of potential users therein to hostenough primary wireless units to establish and reliably maintain theprimary wireless network. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, each wireless unit may function as both a primary wirelessunit as well as a secondary wireless unit. In this way the number ofonline access points (secondary units) is maximized, while the number ofdifferent network paths (and hence network redundancy and reliability)through the primary wireless network (primary wireless units) is alsomaximized.

The relatively low cost of the hardware involved (essentially only atransmitter and receiver, since most users seeking online accesspresumably already have or already plan to acquire a computer), the lackof construction or infrastructure requirements, and the prospect ofhigher-speed online access, should combine to produce self-assembling,self-organizing growth of the wireless online access system, and mayprovide the basis for unique business methods for providing onlineaccess to subscribers according to the present invention. A provider ofwireless online access preferably begins by establishing a portal unitwith a high-speed link to the Internet, and may proceed to solicit oneor more primary subscribers to locate primary wireless units at theirrespective locations, and who may be required to pay a primarysubscriber access fee. These primary wireless units could also functionas secondary wireless units for providing wireless online access to theprimary subscriber. The initial primary subscribers may be givenincentives to participate, such as free equipment provided, reduction orelimination of any access fees normally to be charged, and so on.Alternatively, the prospect of relatively low-cost high-speed wirelessonline access may be sufficient incentive for participation as a primarysubscriber. The wireless online access provider may proceed to solicitsecondary subscribers, who would locate secondary wireless units attheir respective locations to obtain high-speed wireless online accessin return for payment of a secondary subscriber access fee.

The wireless online access provider has thus established two incomingrevenue streams (access fees paid by primary and secondary subscribers).Access fees may be periodic flat fees, may be based on the volume ofdata packets received/transmitted by a particular wireless unit(wireless data traffic volume), or may be a combination thereof. Adistributed wireless online access system according to the presentinvention may further comprise a billing unit for trackingdata-packet-volume-based subscriber access fees. The billing unit maycomprise: a wireless transmitter for transmitting a data packet volumequery to primary and/or secondary wireless units; a wireless receiverfor receiving data packet volume data; and a programmed processor forcalculating subscriber access fee amounts based on the data packetvolume data. The transmitter/receiver/processor combination comprisingthe billing unit may preferably be the same combination of componentscomprising an administration unit as described hereinabove, since thesame data packet volume data is used to perform both routing/re-routingand fee calculating functions. However, separate units may be employedfor administration and billing functions.

The wireless online access provider enterprise may be readily expandedby adding new primary subscribers (FIG. 6) to extend the coverage areaof the primary network, and then soliciting new secondary subscriberswithin the newly covered areas. The expansion may be facilitated and/ordriven by providing financial incentives to new and/or existing primarysubscribers. A primary subscriber may be paid by the wireless onlineaccess provider, through access fee rebates, reductions, or waivers,providing enhanced wireless online access, and/or by payments to thesubscriber. A primary subscriber may be paid a flat periodic fee basedon the number of secondary units within the transmission range ofhis/her primary wireless unit, therefore encouraging the primarysubscriber to solicit new secondary subscribers within the coverage areaon behalf of the wireless online access provider. This may be apreferred revenue/incentive method for primary networks havingrelatively fewer alternative pathways through the primary network (i.e.,a substantially tree-like primary network topology). Alternatively, aprimary subscriber may be paid a periodic flat fee based on the numberof additional subscribers (primary and/or secondary) recruited by theprimary subscriber, whether or not they lie within the coverage area ofthe recruiting primary subscriber's wireless unit. Additional paymentscould be made to a recruiting primary subscriber based on still moresubscribers recruited by the recruited subscribers, and so on. This maybe the preferred revenue/incentive method for a distributed onlineaccess system in which the primary network has a large number ofalternative network pathways (i.e., a substantially web-like primarynetwork topology). Such a highly interconnected network arises when allsubscribers are primary subscribers, for example.

A similar incentive may be result from paying the primary subscriberbased on the volume of in-transit data packets received, routed, andre-transmitted by the corresponding primary wireless unit. Additionalincentives (flat fee or traffic-based) might be paid to a primarysubscriber to host a longer-range directional transmitter or wiredconnection (FIG. 7), thereby facilitating more widespread expansion ofthe distributed wireless online access system. Any financial incentivecalculated based on data packet volume may be tracked and calculated bythe billing unit. Analysis of data packet volume patterns by thewireless online access provider using the administration unit of thesystem may allow targeted solicitation of primary subscribers in areaslacking coverage or having data packet volumes large enough to slowoverall data packet flow through the primary wireless network, andadditional incentives may be brought to bear to recruit potentialprimary subscribers thus targeted. This expansion of the wireless onlineaccess system increases the incoming revenue streams for the wirelessonline access provider, and may also generate net incoming revenuestreams for one or more of the primary subscribers. Additional financialincentives may be paid to primary subscribers for increasing thefraction of “up-time” of their respective primary wireless units, or forupgrading the transmission speed of their respective primary wirelessunits. Conversely, primary subscribers whose primary wireless units arefrequently unavailable or offline (low fraction of “up-time), therebycutting off any secondary subscribers linked to the primary wirelessnetwork solely through that primary wireless unit and perhaps alsohampering the overall flow of data packets through the primary wirelessnetwork, may have their financial incentives reduced. If a primarysubscriber's primary wireless unit is offline too often, he/she may beunilaterally dropped as a primary subscriber by the wireless onlineaccess provider, and a new primary subscriber recruited in his/herplace, if needed.

Algorithms for determining the revenue to be distributed by the wirelessonline access provider are many and varied. A fixed fee per recruit,perhaps decreased by a specified fraction per “generation removed” froma recruiting primary subscriber, might be paid to a primary subscriber.A fixed fee per unit data received and re-transmitted, perhaps decreasedby a specified fraction per network node removed from the data source,might be paid to each primary subscriber. Primary subscribers could besorted into hierarchical levels based on length of time in the system,number of recruits, number of network nodes removed from a portal unit,fraction of uptime, transmission speed, or any other relevant criterion,and specific (perhaps level-dependent) fractions of the overall systemrevenue may be distributed among primary subscribers in each level. Thepossibilities are endless, and any suitable scheme for revenuedistribution among the primary subscribers may be employed withoutdeparting from inventive concepts disclosed and/or claimed herein.

One or more primary and/or secondary wireless units may be mobile and/orplaced on motor vehicles. Mobile secondary wireless units could enableroaming between areas covered by different primary wireless units of theprimary wireless network, or even into an area served by one or moreother primary wireless networks. Such roaming wireless online access maybe controlled/monitored by the administration unit in much the same waythat roaming wireless telephone access is monitored/controlled. Roamingaccess may provide a basis for charging additional online access fees.Mobile primary units result in a primary network coverage area andtopology that vary dynamically with the positions of the mobile primarywireless units. In this instance the administration unit must monitorthe temporally evolving primary network topology in order toappropriately route and/or re-route transmission of data packets overthe primary wireless network. Such a primary wireless network may bereferred to as a transient primary wireless network.

By placing a few primary units of a primary wireless network near alength of roadway, the primary wireless network may be expanded toinclude a transient primary network portion encompassing the length ofroadway. If sufficiently many motor vehicles carrying primary wirelessunits are on the roadway (presumably, but alas not necessarily, moving),then any vehicles carrying secondary wireless units would havehigh-speed online access while on the roadway. Each such vehicle-mountedmobile wireless units may function as both a primary and a secondarywireless unit. Similar subscriber recruitment, solicitation, accessfees, and financial incentives may be provided as described hereinabovefor deploying, maintaining, and/or generating revenue from a transientwireless online access system. A particularly attractive scenario forsuch a transient mobile wireless online access system might beimplemented among a group of commuters using a particular arterialroadway of a major metro area. With many vehicles moving relativelyslowly in a relatively closely packed distribution, and with commutersstuck in those vehicles for significant periods of time, both thefeasibility and desirability of providing such a transient primarywireless network for an online access system is clear. Another scenariothat could be implemented may essentially convert the Interstate highwaysystem into a nationwide backbone for a high-speed wireless onlineaccess system. A combination of fixed primary wireless units at certainstrategic points along the highway system and recruitment of vehicleoperators that heavily utilize the highway system (freight truckingcompanies, for example) to carry primary wireless units on theirvehicles would enable implementation of a nationwide wireless onlineaccess network. Such a system could serve both stationary and mobilesecondary subscribers. A vehicle-based wireless network might beparticularly amenable to use of directional transmitters for expandingtransmission range of the wireless units, since the roadway constrainsmost other primary wireless units to be located in front of or behind awireless unit on a vehicle (i.e., on the roadway). Administration unitsfor such implementation must enable monitoring of wireless unitposition, which may be accomplished using positioning systems associatedwith each wireless unit (a GPS receiver, for example), using wirelesslink and/or network status data (i.e., the locations of the wirelessunits may not be as important as the network topology of the wirelesslinks between the wireless units), or by other suitable methods.Administration/routing software should preferably be adapted forrouting/re-routing data packet transmission through a primary wirelessnetwork of dynamically varying topology.

While preferred implementations of the present invention have beendisclosed as pertaining primarily to deploying and/or providinghigh-speed wireless online access, it should be noted that the presentinvention may find applicability in other arenas. In addition toproviding high-speed wireless online access, systems, apparatus, and/ormethods according to the present invention may be employed for providingother distributed wireless services, including but not limited to:voice/fax/phone service; mobile/wireless phone service; one- or two-waypaging service; voice and/or text messaging service; wireless deliveryof music, audio, video, multi-media, or other content;two-way-radio-type telecommunications; security systems; local- and/orwide-area network services (LAN/WAN); emergency services; trafficmonitoring/management services; roadside assistance services; roadcondition information services; positioning/navigation services; and soon.

The present invention has been set forth in the forms of its preferredand alternative embodiments. It is nevertheless intended thatmodifications to the disclosed distributed wireless online accesssystem, apparatus, and methods may be made without departing frominventive concepts disclosed and/or claimed herein.

1-2. (canceled)
 3. A method for providing wireless online access to amultitude of users, each user of the multitude being located within acorresponding one of multiple moving vehicles, the method comprising:providing online access to corresponding users of the multitude that arelocated within the each one of the multiple moving vehicles by datapacket transmission via (i) one or more corresponding wirelesscommunications links established, within a corresponding mobile onlineaccess signal space within each one of the multiple moving vehicles by aprimary subscriber, between one or more corresponding mobile primarywireless transceivers in or on each moving vehicle and one or morecorresponding mobile secondary wireless transceivers used by thecorresponding users within that moving vehicle, and (ii) one or morecorresponding wireless communications links established between eachcorresponding primary wireless transceiver and a corresponding one ofmultiple stationary portal transceivers; as each vehicle moves, shiftingthe corresponding wireless communications link between the correspondingprimary wireless transceiver and the corresponding portal transceiver toa different one of the multiple portal transceivers; providing for eachcorresponding secondary wireless transceiver a graphical user interfacefor each corresponding user to utilize the provided online access; andreceiving, from the primary subscriber, or crediting, to the primarysubscriber, one or more revenue amounts calculated automatically by oneor more processors among one or more billing units, in return for theestablished wireless communications links or the wireless online accessprovided for one or more users among the multitude of users, wherein:the revenue amount is based at least in part on (i) how many mobilesecondary wireless transceivers are linked to the corresponding primarywireless transceivers by the corresponding established wirelesscommunications links or (ii) a volume of data packets received ortransmitted by the secondary wireless transceivers used by the multitudeof users within the multiple moving vehicles; and each one of the one ormore portal transceivers includes one or more correspondingcommunications links to the Internet for receiving one or more datapackets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packetsthereto.
 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising monitoringcorresponding positions of the multiple moving vehicles and determiningautomatically, using one or more processors among one or moreadministration units, to which one of the multiple portal transceiversto shift the corresponding wireless communications link for each of themultiple primary transceivers.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein eachwireless communications link established between one of the secondarywireless transceivers and the corresponding one of the primary wirelesstransceivers has a range less than about 200 meters.
 6. The method ofclaim 3 further comprising, in return for establishing one or moreadditional mobile online access signal spaces within one or moreadditional moving vehicles, (i) crediting to the primary subscriber oneor more additional revenue amounts or (ii) providing to the primarysubscriber reduced-cost equipment for establishing the one or moreadditional mobile online access signal spaces.
 7. The method of claim 3further comprising crediting one or more additional revenue amounts tothe primary subscriber in return for increasing data packet transmissionspeed of one or more of the wireless communications links between one ormore of the secondary wireless transceivers and the correspondingprimary wireless transceivers.
 8. The method of claim 3 furthercomprising receiving, from multiple users of the multitude,corresponding revenue amounts, calculated automatically by one or moreprocessors among the one or more billing units, in return for thecorresponding established wireless communications links or for thecorresponding provided wireless online access.
 9. The method of claim 3wherein the corresponding wireless communications link between one ormore pairs of linked primary wireless and portal transceivers includesone or more additional corresponding primary wireless transceivers. 10.The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the additional primarywireless transceivers comprises a communications satellite.
 11. Themethod of claim 3 wherein at least one of the mobile primary wirelesstransceivers conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard.
 12. The method ofclaim 3 further comprising receiving from the primary subscriber the oneor more revenue amounts, calculated automatically by the one or moreprocessors among the one or more billing units, in return for (i) theestablished wireless communications links or (ii) the wireless onlineaccess provided for one or more users among the multitude of users. 13.The method of claims 3 further comprising crediting to the primarysubscriber the one or more revenue amounts, calculated automatically bythe one or more processors among the one or more billing units, inreturn for (i) the established wireless communications links or (ii) thewireless online access provided for one or more users among themultitude of users.
 14. A method for providing wireless online access toa multitude of users, each user of the multitude being located within acorresponding one of multiple moving vehicles, the method comprising:establishing, within a corresponding mobile online access signal spacewithin each one of the multiple moving vehicles, one or more wirelesscommunications links between one or more corresponding mobile primarywireless transceivers in or on each moving vehicle and one or moremobile secondary wireless transceivers used by corresponding users ofthe multitude that are located within the corresponding one of themultiple moving vehicles, so as to enable an online access provider toprovide the multitude of users with online access, within the multiplemoving vehicles, by data packet transmission via (i) the wirelesscommunications links within the multiple moving vehicles and (ii) one ormore corresponding wireless communications links established betweeneach corresponding primary wireless transceiver and a corresponding oneof multiple stationary portal transceivers; as each vehicle moves,enabling the corresponding wireless communications link between thecorresponding primary wireless transceiver and the corresponding portaltransceiver to shift to a different one of the multiple portaltransceivers; and receiving, from the online access provider, orcrediting, to the online access provider, one or more revenue amounts,calculated automatically by one or more processors among one or morebilling units, in return for (i) the established wireless communicationslinks or (ii) the wireless online access provided for one or more usersamong the multitude of users, wherein: each corresponding user utilizesthe provided online access through a graphical user interface providedthrough each corresponding secondary wireless transceiver; the revenueamount is based at least in part on (i) how many mobile secondarywireless transceivers are linked to the corresponding primary wirelesstransceivers by the corresponding established wireless communicationslinks or (ii) a volume of data packets received or transmitted by thesecondary wireless transceivers used by the multitude of users withinthe multiple moving vehicles; and each one of the one or more portaltransceivers includes one or more corresponding communications links tothe Internet for receiving one or more data packets transmittedtherefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto.
 15. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising providing to the online accessprovider corresponding positioning data for the multiple moving vehiclesso as to enable the online access provider to determine automatically,using one or more processors among one or more administration units, towhich one of the multiple portal transceivers to shift the correspondingwireless communications link for each of the multiple primarytransceivers.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein each wirelesscommunications link established between one of the secondary wirelesstransceivers and the corresponding one of the primary wirelesstransceivers has a range less than about 200 meters.
 17. The method ofclaim 14 further comprising, in return for establishing one or moreadditional mobile online access signal spaces within one or moreadditional moving vehicles, (i) receiving from the online accessprovider one or more additional revenue amounts or (ii) receiving fromthe online access provider reduced-cost equipment for establishing theone or more additional mobile online access signal spaces.
 18. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising receiving one or more additionalrevenue amounts from the online access provider in return for increasingdata packet transmission speed of one or more of the wirelesscommunications links between one or more of the secondary wirelesstransceivers and the corresponding primary wireless transceivers. 19.The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving, from multiple usersof the multitude, corresponding revenue amounts, calculatedautomatically by one or more processors among the one or more billingunits, in return for the corresponding established wirelesscommunications links or for the corresponding provided wireless onlineaccess.
 20. The method of claim 14 wherein the corresponding wirelesscommunications link between one or more pairs of linked primary wirelessand portal transceivers includes one or more additional correspondingprimary wireless transceivers.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein atleast one of the additional primary wireless transceivers comprises acommunications satellite.
 22. The method of claim 14 wherein at leastone of the mobile primary wireless transceivers conforms to an IEEE802.11 standard.
 23. The method of claim 14 further comprising receivingfrom the online access provider the one or more revenue amounts,calculated automatically by the one or more processors among the one ormore billing units, in return for (i) the established wirelesscommunications links or (ii) the wireless online access provided for oneor more users among the multitude of users.
 24. The method of claim 14further comprising crediting to the online access provider the one ormore revenue amounts, calculated automatically by the one or moreprocessors among the one of more billing units, in return for (i) theestablished wireless communications links or (ii) the wireless onlineaccess provided for one or more users among the multitude of users.